Messageboard - Sports

NOTE: You are viewing an archived version of the Columbus Underground forums/messageboard. As of 05/22/16 they have been closed to new comments and replies, but will remain accessible for archived searches and reference. For more information CLICK HERE

I have no doubt plenty of people do. As long as we’re being honest with what that means–committing tens of millions of our neighbors’ money to something we enjoy despite no economic benefit to them–no problem with disagreement.

Nationwide, the Dispatch Group and Worthington Industries people went ahead because they thought it would be a good investment and wanted Hockey in Columbus… and Nationwide would make money from developing property they already owned.

The team is losing over $10 million a year (and one player in particular makes millions per year). They don’t do very well. Game tickets are expensive… so’s the beer.

The Casinos were approved by the voters. The Casino developers wanted to use the Arena District location they bought and paid for… a brownfield being cleaned up, at their own expense.

Nationwide, the Dispatch Group and others didn’t want the casino in their precious Arena District … casino bad … and some tens of millions were spent to get it relocated to the West side.

The Casino agreed to move, at thier expense, they bought another brownfield to clean up.

Now, Nationwide and the Dispatch Group (along with our Mayor) want a public operated entity (taxpayers) to buy Nationwide Arena so they can bail on the black hole that is the Blue Jackets financial situation… partially caused by the horrendous rent they must pay Nationwide.

… and they say this will all be paid for with over-stated revenue taxes from the casino that Nationwide didn’t want near them … or dump it on the public … anyone but the people who created this mess.

Don’t count on the Columbus casino being a major success. Wheeling has one already, Cleveland will have one, as well as Toledo and Cincinnati… the gamblers will come only from central Ohio. Dayton folk will drive Cincinnati as it’s closer, especially since the Cincy casino will be the same and is located in what’s become a very vibrant downtown area. West Broad is a dump.

Nationwide, the Dispatch Group and Worthington Industries people went ahead because they thought it would be a good investment and wanted Hockey in Columbus… and Nationwide would make money from developing property they already owned.

The team is losing over $10 million a year (and one player in particular makes millions per year). They don’t do very well. Game tickets are expensive… so’s the beer.

The Casinos were approved by the voters. The Casino developers wanted to use the Arena District location they bought and paid for… a brownfield being cleaned up, at their own expense.

Nationwide, the Dispatch Group and others didn’t want the casino in their precious Arena District … casino bad … and some tens of millions were spent to get it relocated to the West side.

The Casino agreed to move, at thier expense, they bought another brownfield to clean up.

Now, Nationwide and the Dispatch Group (along with our Mayor) want a public operated entity (taxpayers) to buy Nationwide Arena so they can bail on the black hole that is the Blue Jackets financial situation… partially caused by the horrendous rent they must pay Nationwide.

… and they say this will all be paid for with over-stated revenue taxes from the casino that Nationwide didn’t want near them … or dump it on the public … anyone but the people who created this mess.

Don’t count on the Columbus casino being a major success. Wheeling has one already, Cleveland will have one, as well as Toledo and Cincinnati… the gamblers will come only from central Ohio. Dayton folk will drive Cincinnati as it’s closer, especially since the Cincy casino will be the same and is located in what’s become a very vibrant downtown area. West Broad is a dump.

My sentiments exactly, and I still haven’t healed up from the *temporary* income tax hike. Seriously, it seems like no one ever remembers what happened in Miami… and will eventually happen in Columbus: Miami got screwed.

The dichotomy of voters approving a casino but rejecting the arena doesn’t work, since on the one hand it was a statewide vote and on the other, a local one. If the casino had been decided solely by votes from Columbus, it, like the arena, would have been rejected.

I really respect the Arch City Army guys working to turn that around. You, probably more than anyone else posting in this thread, understand how a strong supporters group base (do they still call them that in hockey?) can be a team’s greatest grassroots marketing resource. Will ACA grow to the size of HSH or Crew Union? Who knows, but I know because of them I’ll be checking out a few games this season and one would be more than last season! :) If the team can’t turn attendance around this season with the excitement of these new players they’ve got then the doom and gloom expressed here might be warranted. Really hoping that’s not the case though.

Arena deal looks good to folks in high places By Bill Bush and Doug Caruso Thursday September 15, 2011 11:56 PM

City and county leaders lined up today behind a proposed deal to purchase Nationwide Arena with casino tax money.

From Columbus Mayor Michael B. Coleman on down, they said they want to head off a nightmare scenario in which the Blue Jackets leave town, the arena goes dark and the jobs and economic development that have blossomed in the Arena District wilt away.

This week, WOSU Public Media’s “Columbus on the Record” panelists discuss a plan developed by Franklin County and Columbus leaders to keep the Blue Jackets, but it calls for the county and city to use gambling money to buy Nationwide Arena.

Nationwide also would continue payments to Columbus schools of $1 million per year into 2015, Rosenberger said. The company agreed to make the payments to make up for a tax abatement on the arena property. But when that agreement ends in 2015, with the arena owned by a public agency, those payments would end and the schools would receive almost nothing, Jennison said

maybe they’ll just propose a levy to support the $1 million missing from the school district’s budget in 2016? or will the casino revenue go there as well? will drop-outs find high-paying taxable jobs in the arena district? I really wish I was more blindly forward-thinking, maybe then I’d be able to handle my finances like a politician handles our tax dollars and public revenue streams. #badidea

I am one very happy Jackets fan and C-bus resident with this deal!! I know the local businesses love the deal too. If you don’t like hockey, don’t go; I don’t go to OSU or Crew games, but I do not doubt the influences that having those teams have on people’s and businesses’ lives. Besides the advantages to the AD, Columbus and surrounding areas have more Chiller Rinks with youth and adult hockey leagues that have popped up because of the growing love in the sport. This is additional revenue for the towns as well as a healthy pass-time for Ohio residents.

As a fan, the Jackets are the only thing thats get me out of my house and down-town spending money during the winter Ohio months. If it was not for them, I do now think I could handle living in Ohio. I remember downtown before the AD, C-bus has become a place for people to visit because of all the improvements that happened after the Jackets came to town. Great job to Nationwide and Franklin County for sorting this all out!! It’s nice to see that politicians and businesses can work together!